Exchanging streaming information

Abstract

Intermediate devices ( 1 ) such as server devices receive streaming information ( 2 ) from source devices ( 3 ) and transmit the streaming information ( 4 ) possibly in a time-shifted manner via networks ( 5 ) to destination devices ( 6 ) such as client devices in client-server-combinations. To offer the time-shifted manner, the intermediate devices ( 1 ) comprise circular buffers ( 16 ) for storing at least parts of the streaming information ( 2, 4 ). By providing the intermediate devices ( 1 ) with transmitters ( 17 ) for transmitting buffer data ( 7 ) to the destination devices ( 6 ) and with receivers ( 18 ) for receiving request data ( 8 ) from the destination devices ( 6 ), for example in accordance with a network protocol, with the request data ( 8 ) defining sizes of time-shifts expressed at the hand of the buffer data ( 7 ), the circular buffers ( 16 ) can be used more flexibly by one destination device ( 6 ) and can be used by more than one destination device ( 6 ) in a relatively flexible environment. The intermediate/destination devices ( 1, 6 ) may be universal-plug-and-play-devices and/or digital-living-network-alliance-devices and/or open-internet-protocol-television-forum-devices and/or hybrid-broadcast-broadband-television-devices.

1 . An intermediate device for receiving streaming information from a source device and for transmitting the streaming information in a time-shifted manner via a network to a destination device, the intermediate device comprising:
 a circular buffer for storing at least a part of the streaming information and for offering the time-shifted manner,   a transmitter for transmitting buffer data to the destination device, and   a receiver for receiving request data from the destination device, the request data defining a size of a time-shift expressed at the hand of the buffer data.   
     
     
         2 . The intermediate device as defined in  claim 1 , the destination device being at least a part of a client device and the intermediate device being at least a part of a server device in a client-server-combination. 
     
     
         3 . The intermediate device as defined in  claim 1 , the intermediate device and the destination device being at least parts of universal-plug-and-play-devices and/or of digital-living-network-alliance-devices and/or of open-internet-protocol-television-forum-devices and/or of hybrid-broadcast-broadband-television-devices. 
     
     
         4 . The intermediate device as defined in  claim 1 , the buffer data and the request data being in accordance with a network protocol of the network. 
     
     
         5 . The intermediate device as defined in  claim 4 , the network protocol being a hypertext transfer protocol or a real time protocol or a wireless network protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The intermediate device as defined in  claim 1 , the buffer data defining a start position of the streaming information in the circular buffer and/or an end position of the streaming information in the circular buffer and/or a filling degree of the circular buffer and/or an expected filling degree of the circular buffer and/or a bit rate of a stream filling the circular buffer. 
     
     
         7 . A destination device for receiving streaming information possibly in a time-shifted manner via a network from an intermediate device that comprises a circular buffer for storing at least a part of the streaming information originating from a source device and for offering the time-shifted manner, the destination device comprising:
 a further receiver for receiving buffer data from the intermediate device, and   a transmitter for transmitting request data to the intermediate device, the request data defining a size of a time-shift expressed at the hand of the buffer data.   
     
     
         8 . The destination device as defined in  claim 7 , the destination device being at least a part of a client device and the intermediate device being at least a part of a server device in a client-server-combination. 
     
     
         9 . The destination device as defined in  claim 7 , the intermediate device and the destination device being at least parts of universal-plug-and-play-devices and/or of digital-living-network-alliance-devices and/or of open-internet-protocol-television-forum-devices and/or of hybrid-broadcast-broadband-television-devices. 
     
     
         10 . The destination device as defined in  claim 7 , the buffer data and the request data being in accordance with a network protocol of the network. 
     
     
         11 . The destination device as defined in  claim 10 , the network protocol being a hypertext transfer protocol or a real time protocol or a wireless network protocol. 
     
     
         12 . A system for exchanging streaming information, the system comprising the intermediate device as defined in  claim 1  and further comprising the source device and/or the network, or the system comprising the destination device as defined in  claim 7  and further comprising the network. 
     
     
         13 . A method for receiving streaming information from a source device and for transmitting the streaming information possibly in a time-shifted manner via a network to a destination device, the method comprising:
 via a circular buffer, storing at least a part of the streaming information and offering the time-shifted manner,   via a transmitter, transmitting buffer data to the destination device, and   via a receiver, receiving request data from the destination device, the request data defining a size of a time-shift expressed at the hand of the buffer data.